Wednesday, October 14, 2009

On the heels of my pop art portrait wall post, thought it would be fun to share my 'fool-proof, anyone can paint a portrait', project. This is a super fun, backpainting technique on glass that I've had a lot of fun with, with my family, my friend Sloan Rutter on her PBS show, Paint, Paper and Crafts, with the Good Morning America Weekend team, on our Courage to Create with Paint DVD and last year's workshop at Mohonk Mountain House. It's been tried, tested and it's TRUE...you'll end up with a good looking pop art style portrait of whoever, EVERYTIME, even if you've never picked up a paint brush before. (The more you do, the better you get!)There's nothing more fun than being able to paint a portrait of someone and have it actually turn out to look like who it's supposed to. There's instant gratification because it doesn't take very long to complete, and it makes a great GIFT idea!

Have a go at it yourself, and ENJOY:

supplies:-Piece of glass to paint on at least 8x10 inches in size. Can use old windows, or picture frames. (multi-paned windows are great because you can do up your whole family)-Titanium White Soft Body Paint-One other medium or deep hue color - some good ones include: Mars Black, Cadmium Red Deep Hue, Cobalt Blue Hue, Hookers Green Hue or Sap Green Permanent. -Assorted Brushes including a liner and a larger round-Mixing Plate-Rinsing Bath-Rubbing Alcohol-Razor Blade-Painters Tape-8x10 Black and White Headshot or size equivalent to your glass size (better the quality, easier it is)

Place photo on your work surface, face up.Place your glass on top.Tape down to secure so glass doesn't shift while you're painting.Clean glass with rubbing alcoholCreate 4 values with your two paint colors.White being one, your chosen color being one and two in between.

**note** be sure that your paint is dry in between steps before moving forward. Acrylics dry quickly, so you should be able to move from one step to the next pretty swiftly.

Start by painting the brightest whites. The whites of the eye, the sparkle of the eye, the teeth if showing, etc.Choose the appropriate brush size for the area you're working on...smaller brushes for smaller details. Then, using your chosen color straight up, you'll need to outline all of the features and the details of your photo and paint in the darkest areas.Do brush strokes that mimic the texture. Not everything has to be a straight line. For example, the wisps of the hair around the forehead; instead of outlining the head, give your brush strokes more movement. Accent and highlight the remaining features using your second value (white being your first, Red being your fourth). Be sure to blend as you go and maintain a 'dobbing' motion.Let dry and then cover the entire painting with your third value using your larger round brush. Admire your handiwork and hang proudly!

**Tip....Carefully tip glass up (without disturbing placement of your photo) every so often to check your work and make sure you haven't missed any of the details.

Yes, try all colors...the ones listed are the ones I typically use for workshops...I've used all colors...browns, yellows...purples...your contrasts/values just vary. SO FUN! Been wanting to play around with adding some other elements like china marker markings, lettering as filler, etc...into some but haven't had a chance yet. CHEERS, all! (and thanks for the linkage...sharing is what it's all about)michele.